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Faithful Followers

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Can't write. No time. Must pack. Nothing to wear. Have to do Christmas cards. Need to start baking. Have to finish shopping. Must start wrapping. Have to mail Hallmark article. Need to finish book. Must clean bathrooms. Positively have to pay bills. Need to get Christmas present in the mail to friend. Should really mail computer rebate forms. Have to take daughter to orthodontist. Son home puking today. Need to call Sue. Need to make arrangements for ride to airport. Absolutely have to finish planning school Christmas party and recruit parents to help. Should plan out Sunday school lesson. Have to make list of interviews and contacts. Have to iron daughter's angel costume. Should get birthday presents for dad and sis. Need to wrap birthday present for friend's daughter. Need to find kids' bathing suits for swim party. Have to finish laundry. Need shower. Need sleep. Must go.

Dawn,Wow you have alot to do and there is only so many hours in a day. I sent out my Christmas Cards and Presents in the mail yesterday. Sorry your son is sick today. Mine is too. :( Swimming Party in the middle of December? I hope its in doors. lol. I hope you get sleep soon. Take care,Kristy

this is exactly how I feel! I love reading your blog. With kids, it is never boring, right? I fell asleep at 8pm from total exhaustion and now I am awake at 3 am. Guess I should just start to make the lunches. Take care!

I know exactly how you feel - the 'silly season' is truly upon us and I am becoming quite stressed too! My six children have so many end-of-year activities between them that I don't have any time leftover for normal chores let alone trying to find the time to get those extra things done. Do you mind if I ask how many hours sleep you get each night? I am currently averaging about 5, and that's when the baby is having a good night! Good luck - I hope you get around to it all. BTW I completely understand your comments about not being able to watch the children 24 hours a day. I personally think that active, inquiring (interpret that as full-on-and-more-curious-than-the-cat) children are much more interesting and engaging than their more complacent peers. What can beat that feeling of panic when you suddenly realise that you haven't heard a peep from one of them for more than 5 minutes, and then that adrenaline rush as you sprint to the bathroom in the hope of getting there before they decide that the toilet is a good place to wash dolly's hair?

That sounds like my list of things to do! (only no packing for a trip by myself-I wish!) I thought I was doing really well this Christmas until my Mom called and said "oh have you done x? or y? or z?" err...no no I have not. >sigh< so is life! Hope your plane isn't grounded and enjoy yourself in NY!

Hi, Name is AKB, want my life today? I have to take kids to school, work at the chamber of commerce for 5 hours, and then come home, make dinner, and put kids to bed about 9 p.m. Sounds like a piece of cake compared to yours. It actualy is. It doesn't make me a bad mom but I know that I live my life this way for a reason. I can't handle stress so the little things do not matter. Christmas cards-no, rebates-no, bathrooms-I let my 5 yr old do it, if it's her idea, she loves to do it. school room mom-not on your life, have kids find swimsuits for party, friend, family will understand if no presents this year, hubby can help with wrapping and gift shopping, hubby can help with paying bills, etc... Sit down for 5 mnutes, breathe and organize what is essential, what is necessary and what can wait.

Holy Cow Dawn! Are you at the point where you can hire an assistant part-time to help you? You surely need one. Or a maid service for at least a day to do the household chores. Now i see why J.K. Rowling used to check into a hotel to write after she became famous ... and she only had 1 child at the time.

Love your "musts" and your "shoulds". Maybe I should do that to my similar to do list so I can feel better about the chunk that just keeps getting transferred from one list to the next over and over! From one super busy woman to another-good luck!!!-Alice

Dawn,Even when you have no time, you still manage to entertain us. Thank you for making time to post! A question for your Sunday response blog: Is your fame (and I consider you far more famous than me, so, yes, you are famous)a blessing or a curse? Many of the items "to do" on your list are due to keeping up with the blog, and to promote your writing. So - was life better before the Ebay pokemon card sale or is it better after? This is not a black and white question, which I am sure has many gray areas to it, but I was wondering overall what you thought.Thanks!Molly in NH

OMG!Better you than me! Usually I read your posts and think, "Wow! For having so much going on in her life, for having her kids, for having a professional life, she's really got it together!"Today? Not so much! I don't want to be you today! I thought *my* To Do list was long...You win!!!

Boy, I know that feeling. There never seems to be enough time in the day to accomplish all we need to do. Who needs sleep haven't you heard the saying "we'll sleep when were dead" I go by that one alot if I have to stay up for some crazy reason. KIds or new puppy. We have a new puppy who loves to think 1am is time to play!

Wow. They say if you want something done, ask a busy person. Just reading that list made me tired. Partly because it looks a lot like my list. Well, except I'm not going to New York (you'll love it, by the way, I love love love the place.)

Hi Dawn, I sure hope you don't have nightmares tonight. I always have packing nightmares before a trip and with everything else your juggleing I bet you are not sleeping to well. I wish I could come help you with some of your chores! By the way, do you have your Christmas tree up? We want to see pictures of it. Especially on Christmas morning! Possibly before and after pics! LOL Kristine in Michigan

11. Have to take daughter to orthodontist. - Leave her with a natural smile - tell her it's the new thing.

12. Son home puking today. A cup of Pepto. will take care of that.

13. Need to call Sue. - Sue is taking too much of your time - let her wait.

14. Need to make arrangements for ride to airport. - Ok, call Sue and talk to her while she is driving you.

15. Absolutely have to finish planning school Christmas party and recruit parents to help. - Get the mom of the little redhead kid to bake cupcakes, and Sue - that should cover it. Oh yes, Play pen the ornament on that school secretary with all the pencils. There - done!!

16. Should plan out Sunday school lesson. - Hello! It's Christmas - have them make their parents a Christmas card.

17. Have to make list of interviews and contacts. - Now you're being silly. No one really ever needs to make a "list" of interviews and contacts. Give it up Dawn.

18. Have to iron daughter's angel costume. - So she's a wrinkled angle? It could happen.

18. Should get birthday presents for dad and sis. - Same answer as #4.

19. Need to wrap birthday present for friend's daughter. - Get Clay to use the funny pages out of the paper to wrap the gift. No one will know the difference.

20. Need to find kids' bathing suits for swim party. - Are you kidding me? It's December!! That kid won't even need to LOOK at a bathing suit until June! Next.

21. Have to finish laundry. - Forget it. Pick up some new underwear when you buy the gift cards

Dawn,A friend of mine told me about a book called Elf on the Shelf. It comes with its own little Elf that your kids get to name. This elf moves from shelf to shelf on a daily basis. He's Santa's reporter... tells him if the kids have been behaving or not. Every morning, my kids (ages 9 and 2) come out and look for the elf. It's an amazing transformation... how nice that they are on EXTRA GOOD behavior for the month of December. I think elf may come back for 'Christmas in July'. When my toddler goes in for nappie time, she usually cries. I calmly let her know that elf is watching and WOW... she says 'OK' and goes right to sleep. I wanted to let you know about this book because it's just an amazing concept. This is the first year for us and I wish I had this book when I was a child. Check it out at www.elfontheshelf.com

I just wanted to say that your blog is AWESOME. I am a single mom to 5 kids ages 8, 5, 4, 3, and 6 months and work a full-time job. I soooooo feel your pain! Some days I dont know if I'm coming or going. Keep up the good work. I think your an awesome mom!

Whew! Take a deep breath and be happy knowing that someday, when you are old and gray you might actually get a moment to yourself! :) But seriously, know that we are all sending you good vibes to get through the season.http://thecarneybuzz.com

Wow, your day sounds like mine. Just a note though, cross off mailing your rebate forms, there was an article in the Reader's Digest about identity theft and it said not to send them in. All the company really needs is the receipt and the product information in order to do any warranty repair.That shortened your list considerably, did n't it? (smile)

I fell you pain! I have 2 that keep me busy, plus a full time job and life. At times I just want to stay in bed with the covers over my head. I did this morning for another hour and I want to go back! Take time to breathe and most of all, enjoy your trip!

Dawn, Don't you wish we could just skip the month of December. There is just too much extra work in this month for everyone. Your list sounds a lot like mine. I have seven children ages 28 down to 5. I also have 3 grandchildren. Two of them older then my youngest. I stay at home and take care of my little ones and my daughters little girl and answer phones for my husband business and deal with all the government crap you have to deal with to stay in business legally and the insurance stuff you have to get copies of for the government to keep you licenses to do business, plus I run a stables and take care of ten horses and clean out stalls and feed them and take them out everyday of the year. On top of that two of my youngest children have down syndrome and heart conditions so the doctors appointments come on a regular bases and the schools are always asking for more forms to be filled out to get all the services you need for my children. Sometimes I just want to run away and hide but I know if I do, that when I come back I have one heck of a mess to clean up and a heck of a lot of paperwork to catch up on. I hope you enjoy your break from the kids while you are in New York. Have a good time for all of us stuck at home. We will have a good time reading about your good time and know that someday we may get that break too.

I enjoy reading your blog immensely. I wondered if you've ever seen the show "Jon & Kate + 8" on TLC...shows regularly Monday nights. They're the parents of 8...a set of 6-year-old twins and a set of 3-year-old sextuplets. Can you imagine having all those multiples? And the parents don't communicate very well at all, in my opinion (although if I had 8 kids age 6 and under, I'd probably be reduced to yelling and bickering myself...)

thats my days this time of the year also, except for the getting the gifts for dad and sis, done all my shopping but the appointments and all the other day to day stuff doesnt stop. Only 9 more days of schol left though so no more routined mornings. I love Ricks comments (organised doodles)he cracks me up.

Woke up Monday morning realizing it was only 2 weeks until Christmas and laid in bed for 20 minutes with a thoughts very similar to yours...all of us are there with you to some degree or another plus or minus a few items!

That Rick guy has all the answers (some of them good) but I bet not a lot of kids. He's right in that when you have a big family you often have to let certain things slide, but for goodness sake!!! You know as well as I do that when THREE boys are using a bathroom, cleaning it CAN'T wait. : ) Do what you can and give to God what you can't.

Hi Dawn, I've got to know... do you get the kids all dressed up and take a beautiful picture in front of the Christmas tree with everyone looking perfect for your Christmas cards? Or is your house like mine and you try for 3 hours, on 3 different nights, and endure screaming, crying, hitting, injuries, and complete insanity as a result of the attempt and finally send out the one that is the least embarrassing? I enjoy your blog, keep up the good work!

Okay, Dawn. There's one blaring item on that list that just shouldn't be there--planning the school Christmas party! I wish I could cross it off your list for you! Girlfriend, you have WAY too much on your plate. I give you permission/advice to NOT take that on next year! Good luck with everything! This can be such a crazy time of year, even under normal circumstances (ie, not writing a book, meeting with publishers, etc).

Fortunately, some of those things can be thrown in a carry on to take care of on the plane. I love taking care of bill writing, card writing, book writing (not that I write), on the plane. It's not like there's much else you can do when you're not watching 6 kids to make sure they're in their seats and not stuck inside overhead luggage :o)

That sounds soooo much like my days, it makes my head hurt. lol Do the mantra with me: 13 days till its over, 13 days till its over, 13 days till its over, 13 days till its over, 13 days till its over. Hang in there lady after all there's only 13 days till its over. lol

Sounds like our house only we have to add visiting son's oncolgoist to get clearnace for trip, trip to med store for supplies should he get sick, make list of all hospitals/contact docs within a 30 mile radius along our entire route, and finding boarding for our dog. I love Christmas, but seriously this is nuts!

Wow, what a list! You sound busy. I thought I was busy (and crazy) trying to pack and move four days before Christmas! I only have two kids (6 & 12) and the packing is exhausting, I can only imagine trying to finish your list with six kids! Good luck. Oh yeah, I hope that is an indoor swim party!